Log splitting device adapted to utilize powered piston on tractor

ABSTRACT

A hand portable attachment for splitting logs readily attachable to and adapted to cooperatively operate with a powered piston on a tractor or similar equipment. The attachment includes a frame detachably engageable to the equipment, a wedge mounted on the frame adjacent one end of the path of travel of the piston and holding brackets to align and steady the cylinder which carries the piston. Logs are placed between the piston and the wedge and urged against the wedge causing them to split.

United States Patent Guy LOG SPLITTING DEVICE ADAPTED TO UTILIZE POWERED PISTON ON TRACTOR [76] Inventor: Richard J. Guy, 37 Redington St.,

Bay Shore, NY. U706 [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 176,544

[52] US. Cl. 144/193 A, 144/2 N [51] Int. Cl B27l 7/00 [58] Field of Search l44/l93 R, 193 A, 144/2 N [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,280,864 10/1966 Spanenberg.... l44/193 A 3,461,927 8/1969 Funari 144/2 N 2,820,493 l/l958 Davis v 144/2 N 3,319.675 5/1967 Bles l44/l93 A Primary ExaminerAndrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-W. D. Bray Att0rneyDean S. Edmonds et al.

[5 7 ABSTRACT A hand portable attachment for splitting logs readily attachable to and adapted to cooperatively operate with a powered piston on a tractor or similar equipment. The attachment includes a frame detachably engageable to the equipment, a wedge mounted on the frame adjacent one end of the path of travel of the piston and holding brackets to align and steady the cylinder which carries the piston. Logs are placed between the piston and the wedge and urged against the wedge causing them to split.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LOG SPLITTING DEVICE ADAPTED TO UTILIZE POWERED PISTON ON TRACTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Power-operated log splitters including motors and the related equipment for developing hydraulic pressure to move a hydraulic piston have been in use for a number of years. These units are large and relatively expensive in that they include an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic system and a frame of sufficient strength to support these components.

.The present inventive device is a compact, portable and inexpensive attachment which is easily hand carried for use and storage. The attachment, when positioned and attached to the equipment having a powered piston, provides a log splitting apparatus capable of performance equal to the substantially more complicated and expensive log splitters which have been commercially available for some years. The device is readily attachable to any item of equipment which has a powered piston that can be readily disengaged from the unit or object it normally powers. For example, tractors with hydraulically operated front end loaders are particularly well suited since a hydraulic piston is easily detached from the bucket it normally powers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a device for engagement to, and cooperating operation with, an item of equipment having a power operable piston and cylinder unit which unit is easily disengageable from the object it normally powers and is assessable for ready engagement and disengagement of the present device.

Broadly, the device comprises a frame which is connectable to the equipment adjacent the piston and cylinder unit using a readily detachable fastener, holding means for aligning the piston and cylinder with the frame and wedge means secured to the frame a sufficient distance from the aligned with the path of the piston to permit the piston to split a log interposed between the piston and wedge means.

It is a feature of the invention that the device may be readily adapted for attachment to various types of farm and industrial equipment including road building equipment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment adapted to be attached to a hydraulic system of a front end loader 1 of a farm tractor 2. Loader 1 includes bucket 3, spaced-apart arms 4 and a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 6. In the particular loader arrangement shown, two arms 4 are employed, one on each side of the hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 6 which is centered between the arms and under normal operation engages the center of the bucket at bracket 11.

Piston-cylinder unit 6 is attached to the tractor 2 by fastener 7 passing through upper bracket 8. At the other end of unit 6, piston 9 is normally pivotably secured to bucket bracket 11 through it cylindricallyshaped bearing 10. FIG. 1 shows piston 9 detached from the bucket with the device of present invention pivotable mounted about fastener 7 through two upstanding spaced-apart ears 13. The weight of frame 12 may rest on bucket 3, as shown, or be supported in any other suitable manner.

Frame 12 also includes upstanding guide pieces 14 which are preferably secured to the frame and spaced apart sufficiently to hold cylinder 16 against any substantial lateral movement so that as piston 9 reciprocates it remains in a path parallel to and above the frame. Ears l3 and guide pieces 14 are preferably welded to the sides of frame 12. Tie-bolt and nut 17 passes through the guide pieces 14 to limit any upward movement of the cylinder 16. Splitting wedge 15 is secured to frame 12.

Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of the invention is shown which is adaptable for a front end loader which has a piston-cylinder arrangement above each bucket arm. The frame 19 in this embodiment is connected to the end of one of the bucket arms and the piston-cylinder guide means is a separate element adapted to be mounted on the bucket arm.

Frame 19 comprises a base plate 21 and triangular side pieces 22 which are shaped and dimensioned to slide over and be attached to the narrowed end section 23 of bucket arm 24. A nut and bolt fastener 26 is positioned through hole 27 in end section 23. Side pieces 22 are dimensioned and positioned to abut the end surfaces 28 of arm section 29 to prevent rotation of frame 19 around the axis of fastener 26. Rotation of the frame may also be prevented by detachable securing base plate 21 to the arm by bracket, strap or other suitable means. Wedge 31 is secured to frame 19.

Piston and cylinder unit 32 is held in alignment on the top surface of arm section 29 using U-shaped bracket 33 which is sufficiently resilient to be pinched against the sides of section 29 by nut and bolt fastener 34.

In the operation of each device, a log 36 is placed between the end of the piston and the wedge and the hydraulic controls of the tractor (not shown) are operated to move the piston until the log splits into two sections. The piston is then moved away from the wedge and the process repeated for additional logs. Upon completion of the log splitting operation, the device is removed and the tractor bucket, arm and pistoncylinder unit reassembled for normal operation of the tractor.

The hydraulic controls at the drivers seat on the tractor can be operated from the front of the tractor by use of suitable remote control arrangements such as ropes, linkages or other suitable devices.

I claim:

1. A log splitting device adapted to be readily mounted on a machine which device together with the machine are capable of performing a log splitting operation in which the machine includes a piston-cylinder unit which is readily disengageable from the object on the machine which the piston normally causes to move comprising 1. holding means attachable to the machine for performance of the log splitting operation and thereafter removable from the machine, said holding means positioned, when attached, for holding the piston-cylinder unit after the units disengagement from the object the piston normally causes to move, to assure that the piston moves in substantially the same paths as it is moved under normal loading; 2. frame means attachable to the machine for performance of the log splitting operation and thereaf- -ter removable. from the machine, said frame means 3 4 positioned, when attached, adjacent the disen- 2. The device of claim 1 in which the holding means gaged piston; and are secured to the frame means. 3. wedge means permanently connected to the frame 3. The device of claim 1 in which the holding means means and positioned adjacent one end of the path includes bracket means which are engageable with said of the piston to split a log interposed between the 5 machine.

piston and the wedge means. 

1. A log splitting device adapted to be readily mounted on a machine which device together with the machine are capable of performing a log splitting operation in which the machine includes a piston-cylinder unit which is readily disengageable from the object on the machine which the piston normally causes to move comprising
 1. holding means attachable to the machine for performance of the log splitting operation and thereafter removable from the machine, said holding means positioned, when attached, for holding the piston-cylinder unit after the unit''s disengagement from the object the piston normally causes to move, to assure that the piston moves in substantially the same paths as it is moved under normal loading;
 2. frame means attachable to the machine for performance of the log splitting operation and thereafter removable from the machine, said frame means positioned, when attached, adjacent the disengaged piston; and
 3. wedge means permanently connected to the frame means and positioned adjacent one end of the path of the piston to split a log interposed between the piston and the wedge means.
 2. frame means attachable to the machine for performance of the log splitting operation and thereafter removable from the machine, said frame means positioned, when attached, adjacent the disengaged piston; and
 2. The device of claim 1 in which the holding means are secured to the frame means.
 3. The device of claim 1 in which the holding means includes bracket means which are engageable with said machine.
 3. wedge means permanently connected to the frame means and positioned adjacent one end of the path of the piston to split a log interposed between the piston and the wedge means. 